If you're in the business of selling to gardeners it's important to know what they are up to. We talked earlier about Dig, Drop, and Done (the bulb industries attempt to appeal to "real" people). Yes, I can see the ladies at Dig, Drop, and Done talking about how they use "deep organic technique's" when gardening. The campaign for the bulbs is of course aimed at non-gardeners. It's an attempt to get people interested in a subject they might never have had an interest in before, planting bulbs. Are we advertising to the wrong people?

Let my next customer be someone who is interested in "deep organic techniques" and not someone looking for bulbs to "dig, drop, and done." "The deep organic technique" person is someone who is already interested in the subject, has a willingness to try new things, and likely will be in the store time and time again to continue their learning. The whole Dig, Drop and Done campaign predicates a person who, once done planting those bulbs is DONE. No more trips to the garden center.

In an attempt to "rescue" gardening from the continuing decline in interest amongst the general population we miss the people who are already fired up about the garden. It will take a change in our thinking about our customers. Who are we attempting to attract and why? Give me one customer who is interested in "deep organic techniques" over 5 who just want to "be done".

Now I'm off to learn about those "deep organic techniques." Got to try and stay one step ahead of my customers.